Thankful for past insights – Thankful Thoughts

I’m thankful for past insights, particularly when I took the time to write them down somewhere for later. Looking back at the past antics of my kids helps me find perspective. Looking at my past struggles helps me see my growth.

I’m horrible about writing stuff down on a random scrap of paper and then tossing it a few weeks later… or not. Sometimes I find these odd snippets of conversation jotted on the back of envelopes as I’m sorting through papers or unpacking boxes. Those strange little messages from the past are always a delightful surprise. It makes me regret that I haven’t been more diligent at journaling over the years, but not enough to get all fancy and buy a journal or anything.

Here’s a sample – I found this jotted on an index card and tucked in an old purse. I’m guessing Watty was around age five, but it could have just as easily happened last week.

Watty: but I don’t want to

Hubby: the rule is that you are to be obedient

Watty: (whining)

Hubby: what’s the number one rule?

Watty: (thinks hard, deep sigh) No doing what I want to do?

No idea what Hubby said next, I had to exit the room quickly to hide a major case of the giggles.

I’m sure that to my children, that sometimes does feel like the number one rule in their lives. But, as I survey the dirty dishes, mounds of laundry, and piles of toys on the floor, it seems like a big rule in my life too! Sometimes, my life feels like one long list of rule one (no doing what I want to do).

But that kind of thinking is whining, and I don’t “do” whining and complaining. So that got me thinking…

What is rule one? What was the “right” answer for my husband to give Watty at that time.

See what I mean? Past insights rock.

They lead to even more insights now. Stuff that I should probably be writing down in a journal or something.

Seven years of parenting gold are scattered on scraps of paper, abandoned blogs, captioned photos, tweets, Facebook posts, my calendar, a few word documents, and some emails. I could get all worked up about my failures to keep a journal or a baby book. But I won’t. Honestly, I LIKE discovering these tiny treasures. They feel like little gifts.

I have a passion for encouraging weary worn out mothers to find joy in everyday motherhood and peace in unlikely places. I have two elementary school boys, one nerdy husband, and two cats. I have a strange fascination for bad puns, the color pink, socks, and books. I worry about running out of toilet paper, wine, and chocolate.. I serve an amazing God. I live an ordinary life filled with wonder.